In the Park

I walked 2.73 miles this morning along a cool, lush path enjoyed by joggers, other walkers and pets out for their morning stroll with their people. No, this does not explain my brief hiatus from blogging but merely serves as a springboard to get my fingers warmed up. I haven’t been idle. In fact, in my defense, I have been overly busy, sometimes overwhelmed with the number of things that need to be done. Therefore, this morning’s walk was a welcomed diversion.
We need diversions, breaks from our chaotic routines to remind us that there is more to life than doing. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of strolling around Hyde Park. Amid the congestion of the city, the constant bombardment of noise, being jostled by passersby and whatever that white stuff is that floats around like snowflakes in the London air at this time of year, the parks of the city offer a sanctuary that we often do not realize we need until we walk among the willows or spread a blanket for an impromptu picnic. We need greenery. We need the grass and ponds, flowers and trees for our sanity even if we live in a concrete-dominated environment that spews grey and extracts imagination. We need Central Parks and Hyde Parks and botanical gardens with winding paths and benches for reading and watching, even if we never turn the page or have no particular subject to watch. Isn’t it sublime to feel the long-awaited warm breeze brush against your skin after a long winter and sluggish spring? Who doesn’t smile, even if it’s just a little bit, to see a toddler chase a pigeon with such determination as if he could actually catch it?
I sat and imagined a scene of finely dressed ladies of the royal court strolling along the pebbly paths, their voluminous gowns swaying past me. They carried parasols and I wondered if I should protect myself from the sun, too, or had it been a mistake not to consider bringing along a hat. But the sun felt so good after consecutive days of rain, then showers, then overcast skies that looked like the gothic backdrop of dark, angry clouds. I was reckless in my enjoyment of the sun’s rays and counted it a blessing to walk freely, without haste, in the green spot in the midst of the busy city.